Rotary blade apparatus adapted for use as a pumping or driving unit



Aug. 19, 1952 J. J. NICOLAS DE APPARATUS ADAPTED FOR USE AS PUMPING OR DRIVING UNIT ROTARY BLA A Filed Oct, 25, 1946 2 SHEETSSHEET l Aug. 19, 1952 J. J. NICOLAS ROTARY BLADE APPARATUS ADAPTED FOR USE AS A PUMPING OR DRIVING UNIT Filed Oct. 25, 1946 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 M WWW W. 2 z q I 3 /////w I f/mv/ l w I .M/ 1 4. f 2 a, 4x r /r f Patented Aug. 19, 1952 USE AS A PUMPING R DRIVING UNIT Jean JosephiNicolagvlfaris; France Y Application October 23, 1946, Serial No. 705,102

i In France November 12, 1945 1 i weizw; 1; i

The present invention relates to a hydraulic apparatus which may operate as a pump or as a hydraulic motor, and more particularly to a hydraulic apparatus comprising a stator and a rotor defining an annular chamber into which atleast one retractable movable blade, and at least one-stationary partition projects. I

, It is the object of the present invention to provide aperfectaxial balance of therotor by means of the operating fluid of the apparatus.

It is another object of the present invention to provide means for controlling the axial position of the rotor of the apparatus.

;It is a further object of theinvention to pro-- vide a hydraulic apparatus wherein movable blades ar'eurged by fluidpressure into an annular blade chamber.

n is a St ll further object of the invention to provide a valve member for adjusting the axial extension of the blade chamber so as to control the output of the apparatus. I

"'With'these objectsin view the present inventionmainly consists in 'a hydraulic apparatus comprising 'a cylinder member formed with two coaxially arranged cylindrical bores, namely, a wider cylindrical bore and a'narrower cylindrical bore/which" are connected by a transversal an nui r surface portion. The Wider cylindrical bore" at one, end of the cylinder member is closed by' atransversal end wall, and a piston isarrangedflwithin the'cylinder member axially slidably' and" turnably relative to the same. The pistonis provided "with ya narrower cylindrical portion fitting into the narrow cylindrical bore of the cylinder'member, and with a wider cylin-' drical portion fitting into the wider cylindrical bore of the cylinder member.

Consequently, between one of the transversal end faces of the piston member and the end wall of the cylinder member a chamber is formed which during operating contains a fluid cushion and serves as a balancing chamber. The cylindrical portions of the piston member are Tconnected by an annular transversely extending surface portion so-that within the wider bo'reof thefcylinder member an annular chamber is formed. The piston member is provided in thecylindrical surfaceof its wider portion with at least one axially extending recess communicating at one .end with th-eannular chamber and atthe other end with the balancing chamben,

At l east one blade member is arranged in the recess the piston member movably in axial direc io th s me s as e i nto h e and divides the same, together with-;;th e blade;

nulanchamber, so that the samecons'titutes-ablade mber- A. partition is mounted on the cyli'nder-memher-projecting into the annular blade chamber 111mg. delivery o io and 1 9 9?! P9 11 ,2

A v ve me r. is'm ted min s- 16 member l da y n axi di ect eme? and. engages the surface of the piston member 'inthe regionof a transversalcircular, groove egg'ten'ding, around the piston member. The valve member is provided with two ports arranged on. either side of the circular groove, one of the. ports communicating throughi conduits a delivery portion of theannular blade chamberoandother portcommunicating through theflcon with thesuction portion of the a nnular' bl chamber. The groove comm-unicatslthrou a further conduit with thebalancing cham er, a d

means are provided for adjusting the position of the valve member in relation tdthe'groovei'f I] 1.? The invention will bebest understood'from'. the. followingv description of specificf embodimentis when read in connectionwith .th'eaccompanying drawings,in which'z' v I j "i Fig. 1 is" across-sectional view? takn'lon, '1 Te l l Of Figurez; I V" f U1 1 Fig. 2 is a partial'longit'udinal secuona'r view through the embodiment shownfinFig] 1;'.' "L

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectionalview of 'a'pre ferred embodiment of the present invention taken on line'3'-3 in Fig; 5; w Figfiis a longitudinal' 's'ectional view'iakenxen' line 44 in Fig.5; f Fig. 5 shows several partial cross-sect inn views on lines 5 5 and 5'-'5" in 'Figfiiandon line 5- 5 of Fig.4; and i Figssfij and 'Zillustrate details. v In the example illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the apparatus T includes a cylindrical member @or stator formed 'with-aninner cylindrical oh yl ber containing a coaxial cylindrical rotor. 2. The transversal endface's of the rotor slidabl'y engagethe transversal endwalls of the member I; and, having a diametersmaller than tl'iatlof said inner cylindrical chamber defines inside the latteran annular chamber 5. Bars or par titions 5,] are'securedfto the statorv l-Tat'two diametrically opposed pointsthereof and their machined faces a, b engage the peripherylof the rotor and fluidtightly subdivide the annular a groove l6 cut in one of the end walls of the;

stator.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows:

When the rotor 2 is caused to rotate, say in the" direction of the arrow 1 after the po rts 9 and V I0 have been suitably connected to a fluid supply in the position illustrated in Fig. 1 the blades l3 assume the positions III and VI while registering with thepartitions 6 and I completely retracted inside-the rotor 2, and their rollers ['5 roll ove'rI the sections g, h, and 7', k of the cam groove IE; These sections are designed so as'to allow only a progressive outward movement of the bladesunder the action ofthe pressure prevailing in the central chamber-1 2 communicating permanently through-the channel 'I l tEig. 2') with the part of the-apparatus where the fluid is under pressure.

Atthe points It and k oi the cam groove ['6, the

peripheral faces of the blades are in contact with the stator I so as to fluidtightly engage the latter-without exerting any substantial pressure on-it, while the thrust isabsorbed by'thev walls of the cam groove 15. During the same time the blades extending in the position I and IV enter respectively the position 11 and V, while their rollers l5 travel-through the section h-c' and Hofthe cam groove; these sections are circular' and coaxial with the stator and rotor whereby the blades have no radial displacement during this part of their rotation: during the same stage of o'peration the blades ori inally in the positions Ifand V approach the positions III and VI in which they are completely retracted inside the rotor; their progressive inward motion is executed under the action of the sections and Z g of the cam groove which are symmetrically arranged with reference to the section hg' and Ic -a and these sections are such that the retractionoi the two opposite blades is executed at the same time and at the same instantaneous speed as the outward movement of the two blades leaving the positions VI and DI. Thevolume of the chamber l2 remains thus unaltered and on the other hand, the outward movement of the blades produces" no pulsation aifectir'ig the output of the pump.

Obviously, it appears from the preceding disclosure, that the blades exert theirhydraulic' action as they move from the positions I' and 'IV towards the positions IIand V, as his then that they suckbehind 'them the" liquid admitted through the port {9 and deliver in front of them into the port'I-ll the liquid sucked by the two preceding. blades. Under such conditions; the -out* put of the apparatus isperfectly constantat every moment and so isj'the speed of. flow pro vided care is taken to give-the ports 9 and Hi the same cross-sectional area as. the'annular blade chamber 5 Y 7 Grooves H! are provided in the stator l so as to short-circuit the spaces on either side. of the biades in their positions II and V and" to thus balance the pressure on the two, sides of the blades at the moment at which the inward move* 4 ment of these blades is to begin. Similar grooves 29 are provided in the stator in accordance with the location of the blades in the positions I and IV so as to balance the pressures on either side of these blades almost up to the moment at which they enter said positions I and IV.

If it is desired to make the apparatus operate as a hydraulic engine fluid under pressure is admitted through port I0 so that the apparatus rotates in a direction opposite to that shown by the arrow I. Since the base mn of the blades is Wider than their outer edge p-q the blades move outwardly, although the specific pressure on the two opposite ends of the blades remains the same: Instead of the ports 9 and 10, it is possible to arrange ports 21 and 22 communicating respectively with the grooves l9 and 20 so as to allow direct passage of the fluid inside the apparatus involving a change in direction and consequently a minimum reduction of the losses.

The number of blades may be different from six and their radial displacement may be produced solely by mechanical means instead of being produced mechanically and hydraulically as disclosed hereinabo-ve. A slope on the stator may for instance engage directly the edge of the blades.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 3 to 7, the apparatus differs from the preceding one through the fact that the annular chamber 25 between the stator 26 and the rotor 27 extends only over a fraction of the length of said stator androtorq According to this embodiment 2. cylinder member constituting the stator 26 is formed with a wider cylindrical bore 26a and a narrower cylindrical bore '26?) which are connected by a transversal annular surface portion 30., The wider bore is closed by an end wall 26'. Apiston; member 21 constituting the rotor is arranged within, the cylinder member 26 and has a wider portion 29 and a narrower portion 29' connected by a transversal annular surface portion 29". The length of the rotor 21 is less than that of the stator and it is slidingly keyed to the shaft 3| engaging the inside of the stator. The blades 32' are located inside recesses 32 parallel with the axis .of the rotor and arranged at the periphery" thereof." Each blade is adapted to slide inside one-associated recess in'a direction parallel to said axis; said blades arein'contactingengagement. through their inner surface with the bell shaped cam 33, the outline of which is similar to that of the groove ['6 in the form of execution of Fig. 1. This cam is secured to two partitions 34 diametrically opposed to one another and simi- I lar to the partitions 6 and I of the preceding form of execution but capable in the presentcas'e of sliding in a direction-parallel with the axis inside the cylinder member 26 along which they are guided, without being allowed any rotation. Each of these partition-s 34' is provided with a cylindrical recess 3'5 forming a cylinder inside which may move apiston 3'6 bearing; against the cylinder-member 26. The space between the bot tamer the cylinder 35 and its piston 36-communi cates through a channel to with a point of the chamber 25 for instance at which the fluid is under pressure (Fig; 5)". Thus the two partitions are urged against the piston member 21 whatever may be theaxial position of the latter by the thrust thus produced at the bottom of the cylinder 35. "I-he chambers-1 between the transversal end face 21" of the wider cylindrical portion 29 of the piston member, and the end wall 26' of the cylinder member 26 is connected by-za-conduitttl with a circular groove 39 on the'pe f phery of the narrower cylindrical portion 29' of the piston member 21. In the cylinder memberle is provided a recess 40 in which is slidablyho-used a slide valve member 4|. thetail-pieee 42 of which.

projects out of the apparatus. Two prts 43 and 44 are provided invalv-e face4 lfyat .a distance from-one another: which is slightly greater than the width of the groove 39 and they arecQn lected respectively with the delivery portion and-with the suction portion of the blade chamber 2 5. through conduits 45 and, in the stator. -As in the preceding example-the suction port-41 and.

- The *following operation, however; is specific-for the embodiment shown in Figures 3 to 5: Y

The blades 32 are urged by the pressure in the balancing chamber 3] into the annular blade chamber 25, and into contact .with' the cam means 3'3. Cam means33 urge the blades into the balancing chamber and out of the blade chamber when the blades pass'over a partition 34.

The slide valvemember 4| 'forms'acontrol arrangement for the rotor 21, the axial position of which is depending on that of the slide valve. By bringing one of the ports 43'44 in register with the groove 39, thepressure isiincreased or reduced in the balancingchamber 31, as the case maybe, which causes a corresponding axial displacement of the rotor-:21; Therotor will .then refnainin a position of equilibrium forwhich the groove 39 is positioned between the openings 43 and 44. Any-variation in pressure in the chamber ST will then produce an axial displacement of the rotor 21 which brings-the groove 39 into communication with one of the ports 43 or 44 and returns thepressure inside said'chamber'to its original value and consequently returns the rotor into its position of equilibrium. Theaxialposition given to the rotor 21- de'fines the "volume of the annular chamber 25 and consequently the output per revolution of the apparatus, saidou-tput being thus finally adjustedthrough the posi-e tion given to I the" slide valve member 4 The liquid contained in 'the balancing: hamber 31 for-ms a cushion absorbing the axial thrust exerted on the rotor by the liquid passing through the annul'arblade chamber 25. I a

Fig. 7 shows a modification of the slide valve 4*] which includes, "in this ca:se, *afplurality of ports. 43" and 441 "locatedat d-iiferen't distances from the position of equilibriu'n'i T of the groove 39, the cross-sectionahareasj of' which increase with the distance. Thusif there is produced an important relative [displacement between the slide. valves. and the rotor, thei'o'utput of fluid through 'the'conduit 33 maybe sufiiciently considerable for producing a rapid return movement of the otor; moreover the" stabilisation of the rotor is improved as the gI'OQVBQSQIBglSt-BIS automatically with one of the DQIts4I3Tor 44' the output of which corresponds to the leak output producing a modifi'cation' in thepressure inside the chamber 31.

e slide valve 4| may be located at any, 'desired point of the statorbutpreferably inlg'portion thereof correspondingto suction. I v 1 v Of course my. invention. is i no means limited to e e ssh wn e crihe wh chhave b n given out-solely, byway of example. Thus for instance, Fig. 6 shows a modified controlof'the blades. According to said modification, the end portion 51 of each blade carries a projection 52 cappedby a rollerbearing rolling insidea cam arrangement, the strokeof theblade assumes-a s an v u at v r m be h hou l i whereas-with the above described system. the

stroke of the bladesvaries in the same way asthe.

output, which of greatadvantager a v The variable output apparatuses do include of necessity blades with a displacement parallel to theaxis although this arrangement is.

preferable;- they may be provided with radially moving blades; on the other hand, the appara tuses with a constant output may include blades adaptedto move parallelism with the axis in steadgof being arranged radially as in the example described,

. Instead ofa rotor adapted to move axially as a unitas described hereinabove with reference. to

theform of execution of a variable output appa ratus, it is -p'ossible t-o provide the rotor with an axially movable ring of which one sidedorms a" movable wall defining the annular chamber transversally with reference. tothe axis. It is also:

possible to form this movable wall by thesurface of a ring sliding axially with reference to the stator or else thesev different means may beassociated for modifying the volumeof the annular chamber. V

. A further improvement for the apparatus de The axial displacement of the partitionsof the scribed in the case where the bladesare movable in parallelism with the axis of; r-otation, consists in giving the slots housing the blades stress-g sectional shape which is thrott'le'd down from the inner-end to the outer; end; the part of the blades which is'located insidesaid slots hasof course corresponding shape and preferably inorderto make the machining easier, said .crossesection should assume the shape of, a fraction of acir-' cumference'above onehalicircumference.

Many other modifications of the above .deQ-f scribed embodiments may be contemplated. For instance that part of each slidable transverse partition; such as 34 in Fig. 3 which is fitted in the stator may have such a cross-sectionthat it is restrained b its housingagainst any radial mo tion; for this purpose said cross-section ispreferab ly that-0f a circle portion greater thanhalf a circle, but it might also be swallow-tailed or have any othersimilar throttled shape. 1

In the case where the blades are caused to project from their housings by a hydraulic thrust as described with reference to Figs. 3fand 4 it mayv beof advantage to assist this hydraulic control by a mechanical one, for instance a cam, similar but opposed to the cam 39 inFigs. 3 and 4, adjusted to operate with a small time .lag with respect to the operation of the hydraulic control, sothat the mechanical [control will actually'move theblades only" when there is an abrupt lossfof cal bereconnectedby a transversal annular sur-- face portion, said cylinder member inc'luding;

end wall closing said wider cylindrical bore at its end 1 spaced from said narrower cylindrical' bore": a I piston member arranged within said cylinder member axially slidably andturnabl y relative to the same, and having two coaxially arranged cylindrical portions ending in transversalend races, namely, a narrower cylindrical portion fittinginto said narrower cylindricalboreandia udder eylindrical por'tion fitting into said wider cylindrical bore of-said cylinder member, and arranged therein seas-to form between one ofs'aid transversa-l'endfaces and said en'dwall of said cylinderfmember a balancing chamber, said c-ylindrica'l'portions of-said piston member bei g connected by a-' transversal annular surface 150 ti'on, whereby wi thin'said wider cylindrical bore of said' cylinder" member ablaklechamber is formedbeunded on opposite 'sides' by said' an'nular transversal surface portions of said cylinder member and said piston member, said piston member being provided in itscylindrical surface with at least one axially extending recess, communicating at one endwith" said blade chamber and at its otherend withsaid'balancing chamber, said piston being alsoprovided with a transversalcircular groove in'it's cylindrical SUI-F face; and a conduitconnecting said groove with said balancing chamber; means for rotating one of said members; at least one blade member arranged in said recess in said piston member movalt-1am axial directionof thesame's'o' as to be adapted to project into said annular blade cliam-" ber; at least one partition meansmountedon saidcylinder member projecting-into said annular blade chamberso as to dividewi th the projecting portion or the blade member projecting through saidblade chamber said annularblade chamber into' a delivery portion and? a suction portion; avalve member mounted on's'aid' cylindermember slidable in axial direction'thereof and having'a ya-lve face engaging tne=cylindrical surfaceof" said piston member in the region of s'aidtransversal circular groove,- sai'd valve mem:

her being provide'd 'with two: open-ended conduits eacncon'duit havin a port said vawe' face, adapted} to cooperate with saidgroove; one

of said conduits beingconnected to the delivery portiorrbf said annular blade chamberandthe other being connected withfthesuction" portion of. said nnular blade chamber; the portsorsaid conduits being spaced from each other a-dista n'ce slightly? larger than" the width or saidgroove;v and" means for adjusting-the position or said valve member' in axialdirectionb I 2 A rotary-hydraulicapparatus comprising; in combinati f j a cylindermember formed with two coaxially arranged cylindrical b'o'res', namely, a; widercylindrical bore and a na'irr-ciwer cylindricalibore' connected by" a transversal annular surface pertibn, said 'cyli'nde'r member including an' e'nu walr closing said wider cylindrical bore at its -end spacedifrom said 'narrower cylindrical bore; a piston-member arrangeawitmn s'aid'cyl inner member axially slidably' and turnabl'y 'rel'ative to the; same; and having: two ccasianyan ranged", cylindrical portions; ending in trans"- versar and faces, namely; a narrower cylindrical portion fitting into said narrower cylindrical bore and a. wider. cylindrical portion fittirrg into sai'dl'wider cylindrical bore ofsaid cylinder" member-{and arrangedtherein so 'as't'o form between one of said transversal end faces and said end wall ofsaidcylinder member a balancing chamber', said cylindrical- L portions of said piston member being connected by a transversalannuiar surface portion, whereby within said wider cylindrical bore of said cylinder member a blade chamber is termedbounded on opposite sides by saidannular transver'sal surface portions of said cylinder member and said piston member, each of said annular s'iir'face portions being smaller than the surface of said end face of said piston membr'racing said balancingchamber, said pis-- ton member being provided in its cylindrical surface'with at least one axially extending recess, communicating at one end with said blade cham-- andat its other end with said balancing (2119. er, said piston being also provided with a transversalcircular groove. in its cylindrical surface, and a conduit connecting said groove with said balancing chamber; means for rotating one of said members; at. least one blade member ar-- ranged in-s'aid recess. in said piston. member mov able in axial direction of the same so as to be adapted to be urged by the pressure in said bal arming chamber to move" along said recess and to project into said annular blade chamber; at least one partitien means mounted on said cylin, dei' member projecting into said annular blade chamber so as to divide=with theprojecting portion of the" blade member projecting through saidblade chamber'said annular blade chamber into a delivery portion and a suction portion; means urging said blade member during rotation to move in said recess out of said blade chamber whenever said blade member passes said part-51 tiom'ng means; a valve member mounted on said cylinder member slidable in axial direction thereof and having a'valve face engaging the cylindricalsurface of said piston member in the region of said transversal circular groove, said valve member being provided with two openendedconduitseach conduit having a port on said valve face, adapted to cooperate with said groove, one of said conduits being connected to the delivery portion of said annular blade chamloci and the: other being connected with the suction portion of said. annular blade chamber, the ports-of said conduits being spaced from each other a distance slightly larger than the width ofxsaidigroove; and means for adjusting the position-ofsaid valvemember in axial direction.

'3; A rotary hydraulic apparatusaccording to elaim 2; and includingv mechanical ineans-jor urging; said blade member tomove along said recessinto a position projecting" into said blade chamber, said mechanical control means, being adjusted to-operate with a small time" lag with respect tothe force exerted by the vpressure in said balancing chamber so thatsaid' blade means are only moved by said mechanical means in case of; a} sudden drop of. pressure in saidbalancing chamber. 7

4. Arotaryhydraulic apparatus comprising i'n combination, a cylinder. rnjemberjformedwith two therein so as to form between one of said trans versal end faces and said end wall of said cylinder member a balancing chamber, said cylindrical portions of said piston member being connected by a transversal annular surface portion, whereby within said wider cylindrical bore of said cylinder member a blade chamber is formed bounded on opposite sides by said annular transversal surface portions of said cylinder member and said piston member, each of said annular surface portions being smaller than the surface of said end face of said piston member facing said balancing chamber, said piston member being provided in its cylindrical surface with. at least one recess extending in a diametral plane and communicating at one end with said blade chamber, means for rotating oneof said members; at least one blade member arranged in said recess in said piston member movable in said recess so as to be adapted to project into said annular blade chamber; at least one partition means mounted on said cylinder member projecting into said annular blade chamber so as to divide with the projecting portion of the blade member projecting through said blade chambersaid annular blade chamber into a'delivery portion and a suction portion; means urging said blade member during rotation to move in said recess out of said blade chamber whenever said blade member passes said partitioning means; a fluid valve member mounted on said cylinder member and adapted to connect said balancing chamber 10 formed bounded on opposite sides by said annular transversal surface portions of said cylinder member and said piston member, each of said annular surface portions being smaller than the surface of said end face of said piston member facing said balancing chamber, said piston member being provided in its cylindrical surface with at least one recess extending in a diametral plane and communicating at one end with said blade chamber and at its other end with said balancing chamber; means for rotating one of said members; at least one blade member arranged in said recess in said piston member movable in said recess so as to be adapted to be urged by the pressurein said balancing chamber to move along said recess and to project into said annular blade chamber; at least one partition means mounted on said cylinder member projecting into said annular blade chamber so as to divide-with the either with the delivery portion of said blade chamber or with the suction portion of said chamber according as said piston member occupies the one or the other of two determined spaced axial positions in relation with the position of said valve member.

5. A rotary hydraulic apparatus as in claim 4, further comprising means for adjusting the position of said valve member thereby causing the volume of said annular chamber to vary.

6. A rotary hydraulic apparatus, comprising in combination, a cylinder member formed with two coaxially arranged cylindrical bores, namely, a wider cylindrical bore and a narrower cylindrical bore connected by a transversal annular surface portion, said cylinder member including an end wall closing said wider cylindrical bore at its end spaced from said narrower cylindrical bore; a piston member arranged within said cylinder member axially slidably and turnably relative to the same, and having two coaxially arranged cylindrical portions ending in transversal end faces, namely, a narrower cylindrical portion fitting into said narrower cylindrical bore and a wider cylindrical portion fitting into said wider cylindrical bore of said cylinder member, and arranged therein so as to form between one of said transversal end faces and said end wall of said cylinder member a balancing chamber, said cylindrical portions of said piston member being connected by a transversal annular surface portion, whereby within said wider cylindrical bore of said cylinder member a blade chamber is projecting portion of the blade member projecting through said blade chambersaid annular blade chamber into a delivery portion and a suction portion; means urging saidblade member during rotation to move in said recess out of said blade chamber whenever said blade member passes said partitioning means; a valve member mounted on said cylinder member and adapted to connect said balancing chamber either with the delivery portion of said blade chamber or. with the suction portion of said chamber according as said piston member occupies the one or the other of two determined spaced axial positions in relation with the position of said valve member.

7. A rotary hydraulic apparatus as in claim 6, further comprising means for adjusting the position of said valve member thereby causing the volume of said annular chamber to vary.

8. A rotary hydraulic apparatus according to claim 4, and including mechanical means for urging said blade member to move along said recess into a position projecting into said blade chamber, said mechaical control means being adjust'ed to operate with a small time lag with respect to the force exerted by the pressure in said balancing chamber so that said blade means are only moved by said mechanical means in case of a sudden drop of pressure in said balancing chamber.

JEAN JOSEPH NICOLAS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 888,838 Muller May 26, 1908 1,365,553 Sheriff Jan. 11, 1921 1,497,741 Schneider June 17, 1924 1,742,215 Pigott Jan. 7, 1930 1,743,977 Peterson Jan. 14, 1930 1,797,905 Dooley Mar. 24, 1931 1,990,750 Pigott Feb. 12, 1935 2,181,962 Booth Dec. 5, 1939 

